Bombala, New South Wales
| pop_footnotes = | elevation= 705 | elevation_footnotes = | latd =36 |latm =55 |lats =0 | longd =149 |longm =14 |longs =0 | maxtemp = 18.4 | mintemp = 4.8 | rainfall = 644.1 | stategov = Monaro | fedgov = Eden-Monaro | dist1 = 485 | dir1 = S | location1= Sydney | dist2 = 202 | dir2 = S | location2= Canberra | dist3 = 87 | dir3 = S | location3= Cooma | dist4 = 77 | dir4 = WSW | location4= Bega }} Bombala is a town in the Monaro region of south-eastern New South Wales, Australia, in Bombala Council. It is approximately south of the state capital, Sydney, and south of the town of Cooma. The name derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "Meeting of the waters". The town lies on the banks of the Bombala River. At the 2011 census, Bombala had a population of 1,211 people. History Bombala was proposed in 1903 by King O'Malley as the site of the parliamentary seat of Australia. It was considered as a location because it was half way between the two cities of Sydney and Melbourne. The proposal was ultimately rejected in favour of Canberra. The town lies on the banks of the Bombala River. Principal industries of the area include grazing and timber. Tourism is also growing in importance to the local economy. There is also a small amount of specialty producers with meat rabbits, lavender and many herbs being grown in the district. Delegate situated 36 km west of Bombala is the next largest town in the Bombala Shire. The Snowy River March which commenced from Delegate in 1916 went via Bombala to Goulburn. The timber industry has slowly begun to overtake many of the historic properties surrounding Bombala, such as the over 150 year old property of Aston, south-west of the township. The area is known for possibly the largest population of Platypus in New South Wales and is promoted as Platypus Country. Geography and Climate Situated at 705 metres above sea level on the eastern edge of the Monaro Tablelands, Bombala is known for its cold winters with frequent frost and occasional snow. Just a few miles to the east, the land slopes downwards to a flat coastal plain known as the South Coast, where summers are much warmer and wetter and winter temperatures are milder. Examples of this are towns such as Bega and Merimbula, both located about 80 kilometres east of Bombala, however their climates are vastly different to Bombala's. Most rain in the area falls as either thunderstorms in summer, or with cold fronts in winter that are usually accompanied by cold temperatures, meaning that the rain often turns to snow once night falls. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 40.7 °C (105.6 °F) to -10.0 °C (14.0 °F). |date=April 2013}} Transport The railway reached Bombala in 1921 and closed in 1986. being an extension of the line from Queanbeyan to Cooma. The line was and still is known as the Goulburn to Bombala line. During the 1970s, service was provided by a small rail bus, taking 4 hours to cover the 100 km (62 miles) between Cooma and Bombala. The Monaro Highway (now route B23) which runs from Canberra to Cann River (Victoria) passes through Bombala. Other major roads include Mt Darragh Rd which connects to Pambula and Merimbula on the NSW South Coast. The nearest airport with regular air services is at Merimbula, 85 km to the east. Notable Residents * Minard Fannie Crommelin MBE (1881-1972), postmistress and environmental conservationist, born at Aston Station, near Bombala. * Michael Farrell (1965-), contemporary Australian poet and magazine editor, born in Bombala. * Dick Tooth (1929-), former Australian rugby union representative, born in Bombala. Mars The name Bombala is used as a name for a crater on the planet Mars, without specifically commemorating the town.Categories for Naming Features on Planets and Satellites, Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature, USGS Astrogeology Science Center, NASA References External links * Bombala Railway Station Category:Towns in New South Wales